It is sometimes desirable to treat seeds or the soil around the seeds with protectant, growth promoter, or other treatments relevant to the successful growth or development of the seeds. To that end, the seeds may be dispensed in a first operation and the treatment may be applied in a separate second operation, or the seeds and the treatment may be dispensed in the same operation. Similarly, the treatment may be continuously dispensed along a furrow in which the seeds have been deposited, or the treatment may be selectively dispensed so as to closely correspond with the locations of the seeds in the furrow. Modern seeding systems dispense the seeds and the treatment in the same operation so as to maximize efficiency, and selectively dispense the treatment so as to minimize waste.
In one such system, a first tube dispenses the seed and a second tube dispenses the treatment in the furrow in front of the seed. However, any of the treatment remaining in or on the second tube may drip directly onto and potentially damage the seed. In another system, a sensor may sense the dispensation of the seed, and an electronically controlled valve located at a lower end of the second tube and within the furrow may open in response to the sensed dispensation of the seed to dispense the treatment. However, the electronically controlled valve, including wires connected thereto, may be damaged by dirt or rocks in the furrow and may be difficult to access to clean, repair, or replace.
This background discussion is intended to provide information related to the present invention which is not necessarily prior art.